Coin-operated lock



(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 1. I P. M. LEAVITT.

COIN OPERATED LOOK.

Patented May 14, 1889.

lhagraphlr. wuun 2 Sheets$heet 2..

(No Model.)

F. M. LBAVITT.

00110 OPERATED LOOK.

N0. 403,200. Patented Ma -14,1880] IIII'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII/ u, PETERS. Phulu-Lxmngraphcr. Washinginn. n. c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK M. LEAVITT, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, TO THE OPERA GLASS SUPPLY COMPANY, OF NEW JERSEY.

COIN-OPERATED LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 403,200, dated May 14, 1889. Application filed April 21, 1888. Serial No.,2'7l,453. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK M. LEAVITT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ooin-OperatedLocks and Cases, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a reliable, cheap, and durable coin operated lock or fastening. The invention is herein described and illustrated in connection with an opera-glass case for theater-chairs, so that an auditor can, by inserting a proper coin, open the case and use the opera-glass; but I desire it to be distinctly understood that the lock might be employed with many other forms of case or box, or for other purposes, wherever a coin-released fastening is desired.

My improved coin-operated lock is characterized by the combination, with the conduit or chamber into which the coin is inserted, of a spring-pressed plunger tending to move, but restrained by one or more stops or detents standing in its path, which stops or detents are arranged to be displaced out of its path by the insertion of a coin; also, in the arrangement of the coin-cavity relatively to said plunger, so that when the coin reaches the position where it fully displaces the stops and releases the plunger it is in coincidence with the latter, so that the latter by its movement pushes the coin ahead of it and removes it out of the way; also in other novel features and details pertaining to the lock and the box or case to which it is applied, all of which will be hereinafter set forth.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure I is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the ease and lock, the view being taken on the line 1 1 of Fig. II. Fig. II is a crossseotional elevation of the same, taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. I. FigLIII is a sectional plan view taken onthe line 3 3 of Fig. I. Fig. IV is a perspective view of the plunger. Fig. V is a horizontal section of the lower part of the casing extending through the coin-delivery lock.

In the construction shown in the drawings my invention is applied in the form of a case or box, L, adapted to inclose an opera-glass, M, and which when closed is fastened by a coin operated lock. In the construction shown the case L is formed of two parts-a casting, A, which constitutes the body of the case, and a cover or lid, B, which is hinged to the casting at its bottom and closes against the front thereof. The back plate of the casting constitutes the base, which is adapted to be fast ened against the back of an opera-chair or other support. The opera-glass,when in place, is hung on brackets e e, and to prevent it being carried away it is fastened by a chain which is attached to the interior of the case, preferably to the casting A.

In the construction shown the casting A forms not only the rear portion of the case, but also the casing for the lock, being extended above the case proper and formed with a hollow boss or enlargement, a, the hollow of which communicates with the interior of the ease through an opening, d. The hollow or cavity in the boss a is cylindrical and of a diameter approximately the same as or slightly less than that of the coin which is designed to operate the look. This cavity opens at the rear of the casting, but the boss to is closed in front. (Shown removed in Fig. IV.) This plunger is pressed toward the rear by a spring or springs, 71 ,which are preferably housed within recesses 00 in the plunger. A vertical slot, 13, is formed in the plunger between these recesses, and into this slot extends the upwardly-projecting arm g of a locking-catch, O, which is in the form of an elbow-lever, and the lower arm of which projects toward the front and terminates in a hook which engages a keeper, 1*, formed on the inner side of the lid B.

The plunger is held from being pressed forward by its springs by means of one or more detents or steps which are arranged to be pressed out of the way'by thrusting in the coin. In the construction shown there are three of these detents, (lettered, respectively, h h and Z.) The stops it h are pivoted pawls pressed by springs 11 i, so that their free ends are thrown intothe path of the plunger. The stop I is a sliding bolt pressed forward by a In this cavity is placed a plunger, E.

spring, on. The parts are so arranged and proportioned that so long as the plunger is held retracted by these stops the catch 0 remains in engagement with the keeper 1', thus preventing the opening of the lid.

The space in line with and immediately in rear of the plunger constitutes a coin-receiving chamber, f. The coin slot or conduit 7' leads from the exterior of the casing and terminates in this chamber f, so that if a coin be inserted, as shown by the dotted circle in Fig. I, it will pass through this conduit and enter the chamber f. Its complete entrance into this chamber will be prevented by the stops 7: 72, I, which stand in the way of the coin. If, however, the coin be pressed in with a suliicient pressure to overcome the resistance of all these stops, it will displace them and force them out of the coin-receivin g chamber, and it will itself occupy their place, reaching finally a position in coincidence with the rear end of the plunger. Innnediately upon the full retraction of these stops the plunger, being no longerrestrained thereby, will move backward and carry the coin backward with it, thereby thrusting the coin rearwardly out of the coin-receh'ing chambcrf and through a passage, f until it arrives in a vertical conduit, 0, down which the coin falls. This rearward movement of the plunger tilts the catchlever (J, throwing its forward arm upward and releasing the keeper 1*, whereupon the lid B falls open.

To enable the coin to be pressed fully into the receiving-chamberf, and in order to displace the stops or detents, I provide a lever, F, which consist of a flat plate thin enough to enter the coin-conduit pivoted to the casting A, and having a projecting handle or thumb-piece, s, by which to move it. After the coin has been dropped in this lever is to be moved in the direction of the arrow in Fig. I, whereupon. the curved edge 1' of the levet is brought against the coin and serves to push the coin. fully into the chamber f. The operating-lever l? is not necessarily essential, as it might be omitted if the coin-receiving chamber were made short enough to enable the coin to be pushed fully in by the hand, so as to operate the stops.

The vertical coin-conduit 0, into which the coin is transferred by the backward move ment of the plunger, is preferably formed by making a parallel vertical recess in the back of the casting A and covering this recess with a plate, N. The conduit 0 extends through the bottom of the casting; but its lower end is closed by the bolt it of a key-actuated lock, II, of any ordinary kind such, for example, as a common drawer-lock. The coin which is dropped into the conduit c falls to the bottom thereof and rests upon the projecting end of this bolt 11-, where it remains until the attendant withdraws this bolt by inserting a key into the lock l-I, whereupon the coin drops out.

When it is desired to close and lock the case, the coin-actuated lock is first set by pressing downward with the finger the front arm of the catch-lever C until the plunger is moved forward free of the stops it h and l, which spring out and hold the plunger retracted. If the lid be then closed, the catch will enage its keeper 4), after which the case can only be opened by depositing a coin and forcing it against thepawls, as above set forth.

From the construction herein described it will be seen that a coin of the prescribed diameter must be used to operate properly on all the stops, as a coin of less diameter would not bear against both of the pawls h 72, and would not sufficiently press back the bolt Z. A coin of too large diameter cannot enter the coin slot or conduit.

In the specific construction shown the upper portion of the casting A above the case L is formed with a slot, b, which is sawed or milled through parallel with the rear surface of the back plate. In. this slot, the thickness of which is slightly greater than that of the coin which is to operate the lock, is inserted a plate, D, which has a curved edge, forming the wall of the coin-receiving chamber f, and which is punched out to form recesses g g, for receiving the stop-pawls 7L h, and a recess, e, for the sliding bolt 7. The flat plate forming the lever F is inserted within the same slot Z), and the coin-conduit r is formed by the open portion of the slot between the curved face t of the lever and the opposite curved face of the plate D. A cheap and durable construction is thus provided.

The specific case herein shown and described is designed to hold an operaglass; but by suitable modification it might be designed to hold any other article, or anything which it is desired to inclose in a locked case to be 1111 locked by the insertion of a coin.

The casting A is formed with apertures, through which retaining screws or bolts may be passed, thus providing for the attachment of the case to the back of an auditorium seat.

The locking-catch 0 may be substituted by any equivalent locking member or element known in the artas, for instance, by a locking-bolt. The particular connection of the locking-catch or its equivalent with the plunger is immaterial, it being only essential that the movement of the plunger, when it is released, shall withd aw the catch, thereby unlocking the lock.

I claim as my invention the following defined novel features, substantially as hereinbefore specified, viz:

1. A coin-operated lock consisting of the combination, with the locking-catch, of a casing having a coin-receiving chamber into which the coin is inserted, a stop or detent a1 ranged to project into said chamber and adapted to be displaced by direct contact with the coin when the latter is forced in, and a spring-pressed plunger connected to said catch and normally restrained from movingby said stop, whereby it holds the lock fastened, and constructed to be released by the displace ment of said stop, whereby it effectsthe withdrawal of the catch.

2. A coin-operated lock consisting of the combination, with a locking-catch, of a casing 1 having a coin-receiving chamber, a springpressed plunger to which said catch is connected, and stops or detents consisting ofspring-pressed pawls mounted to enter the coin-receiving chamber in advance of the plunger and arranged to prevent the movement of the plunger until they are displaced by the insertion of a coin. I

3. In a coinoperated lock, the combination of a casing having a coin-receiving chamber and formed with a recess communicating with said chamber for receiving the spent operating-coin, a plunger adapted to enter said chamber-and arranged on opposite sides thereof from said recess, a spring pressing said plunger toward said chamber, and a stop or detent arranged to normally project into the chamber and adapted to restrain the plunger,whereby the insertion of a coin displaces the stop and releases the plunger, and the latter then moves into the chamber and eXpels the coin therefrom into said recess.

4:. A coin-operated lock consisting of the combination, with the locking-catch and a casing having a coin-receiving chamber, of a spring pressed plunger, restraining stops therefor, consisting of spring-pressed pawls mounted to project into the coin-receiving chamber in advance of the plunger, and a le ver pivotally connected at one side of the coin-receiving chamber, substantially as described.

5. A coin-operated lock consisting of the combination, with a casing having a coin-receiving chamber, of a spring-pressed and slotted plunger, spring-pressed pawls mounted to enter the coin-receiving chamber in advance of the plunger, and a catch provided with an arm that rides in the plunger-slot, substantiallyas described.

6.- A case and a lid hinged thereto, in combination with a catch adapted to hold said lid, a spring-pressed plunger co-operating with said catch and tending to release the same, and a stop serving to arrest said plunger and arranged to be displaced from the path thereof by the insertion of a coin.

7. A case and a lid hinged thereto, in combination with a spring-pressed plunger, a pivoted catch adapted to hold said lid closed and engaging said plunger, whereby the plunger may be retracted by moving said catch, and a stop serving to arrest said plunger and arranged to be displaced from the path thereof by the insertion of a coin.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK M. LEAVITT.

Vitnesses:

OHARLnS WAGNER, HOWARD O. SEAMAN. 

